Towel dispensing apparatus



April 13, 1937. R. G. BIRR ET AL 2,077,032

TOWEL DISPENSING APPARATUS A Filed Feb. ll, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 E//DOLPH 6. B/,ee ALBEET C'. 65mm/ALD WFM,- Fwf MM A TTORNEYS.

April 13,193712l R. G. BIRR ET AL Y 2,0%,032

TOWEL DISPENSING APPARATUS` Filed Feb. 11, 195s s sheets-sheet 3 .52// I ll 64" l' "79 l I "79 BY MHH A TTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 13, 1937 UNirfEo s'rArss Ars @FFICE TOWEL DISPENSING APPARATUS Rudolph G. Birr, Lombard, and Albert C. Grunwald, River Forest, Ill., assignors to Steiner Sales Company, Salt Lake City, Utah, a corporation of Utah Application February 11, 1933, Serial No. 656,282

13 Claims. (Cl. S12-38) 5 result of pulling of the towel by the user, and

in which the soiled toweling is taken up by a roll, also as the result of such pulling of the towel by the user.

An object of the invention is to provide means l operable, when the supply of toweling is substantially exhausted, to cause soiled toweling to vbe taken up at `a greater rate than the rate of delivery of clean toweling, to the end that toweling be no longer accessible and/or visible to the lA user, and as an indication that replenishment of clean toweling is necessary.

Another object is to provide a change speed mechanism operable in one position, and while there is yet a substantial supply of clean toweling, to cause soiled ytoweling to be taken up at a rate equal to the feeding rate of the clean to-Weling, and operable when in another position, and when the toweling supply is substantially exhausted,A to cause soiled toweling to be taken up at arate substantially greater than the feedingy rate. In this embodiment, this accelerated take-up action results in the gradual obliteration of a loop of toweling which normally hangs below the cabinet and which is visible and accessible to the user,

Another object is to provide two gear trains associated with the take-up and feed rolls, one to cause the take-up roll to be driven at equal speed with the feedroll and the other to cause the take-up rol-l to be driven at a substantially greater speed than the feed roll, and to provide means whereby a gear of each train can be moved into and out .of mesh, one gear into mesh when the other is moved out of mesh, and to provide means for automatically shifting the gears to obtain accelerated take-up roll action when the clean towel supply isl substantially exhausted.

Another object is to provide (as a part of the 45 towel-controlled gear-shifting means) means to prevent introduction of a roll of fresh toweling into the cabinet unless the towel-controlled means has been moved to such a position as to assure` that` the gearing will be so positioned as to operatethe take-up roll at equal speed with the feed roll,` after the parts have been returned to: dispensing position.

Features include all details of construction, 55 along withl` the broader ideas O means inherent in the disclosure, or illustrated or described therein..

Objects, features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description of the drawings forming a part of this application, and in said drawings Figure l is ak vertical section taken on line l-l of Figure 6, showing the mechanism positioned as when there is remaining a substantial supply of clean toweling, and with the normal amount of toweling accessible and visible;

Figure 2 is a section similar to Figure 1 but showing the clean towel supply substantially exhausted, and the mechanism tripped, and the toweling drawn up to a substantially inaccessible and invisible position;

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 1, but showing the mechanism positioned as substantially immediately before tripping, to shift the gears to accelerate take-up action;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view showing the idler of the gear train in mesh to drive the takeup roll by the feed roll;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 4, but showing the idler gear shifted, and out of mesh with the gear of the feed roll;-and

Figure 6 is a plan section taken substantially on line 6--6 of Figure 2 illustrating, among other things, the position of the yoke after tripping action, following substantial exhaustion of the clean towel supply. v

Figure 7 is a view of the speed change mechanism with parts broken away to show the relative positions of all the gears andrcorresponding to the position of the gears in Figures l and 4.

The invention is embodied in a wall type of towel dispensing cabinet'. Numeral l indicates the outer casing of the cabinet. This casing is provided with the usual door 2 and has in its bottom an elongated slot 3 upwardly through which the toweling is drawn to be connected with the take-up roll. The front edgel of this bottom is spaced from the door to permit the for bringing the plate to latched position when` the device is moved to its normal operating position within the casing I, vafter introduction Also attached to of a roll of fresh toweling, all in a manner hereinafter more fully described.

Within the casing I is a frame, referred to herein as the swing-housing, formed of two side plates I5I6 cross-connected in the lower portion by a plate having a vertical portion I1, curved portion I8, and horizontal portion I9, the latter portion forming a bottom. The portion I9 forms a support for a roll of clean toweling 2U. A second plate 2I tops the portion I1 of the first plate and extends horizontally outwardly, and its outer end is curved upwardly to lie between the feed and take-up rolls respectively indicated at 23-24. The swing-housing thus formed is pivoted by suitable means indicated at 25, the pivot being arranged at the top of the outer casing I. This housing supports the major portion of the mechanism of the present invention, and such mechanism can therefore, after the door 2 of the casing I is open, be swung outwardly for facilitating introduction of fresh toweling and/or removal of soiled toweling, as well as for moving a shiftable gear mechanism to a predetermined operating position.

For holding the swing-housing in its outward position during loading or unloading, etc., a prop arm 26 is pivoted to the plate I5 as shown in Figure 1, and this arm has a stop ringer engageable with the case I to limit this outward movement, and also has a notch which is engageable with the forward edge of the bottom of the outer casing I, for securing the arm in propping position. Two such arms may be employed.

After introduction of a roll of clean toweling 20, and return of the swing-housing to its operating position within casing I, the end of the toweling is rst engaged with a feed roll 23, suitably journaled in plates I5-I 6, then it is brought around a pinch roll 21 journaled in slots 28 of the plates I5 and I 5. This pinch roll operates by gravity in a well-known manner to press the toweling against the feed roll to obtain the proper frictional contact for feeding. The toweling is then brought downwardly below the bottom of casing I to form a loop indicated at 30, and is then brought upwardly through slot 3 around towel-smoothing edge 3| of plate 2 I, then around a curved smoothing surface of bracket 4, then upwardly against smoothing bar 34, thence to the soiled towel roll 35. The shaft of this roll 35 is suitably guided in slots 35 of plates I5 and I6 and rests by gravity upon the take-up roll 24.

It is understood that means, not herein shown, but well known to this art, is provided to allow withdrawal of only a limited amount of clean toweling by the user at each operation.

A characteristic feature of this invention, in combination with a type of towel dispensing mechanism which is operated by the user by pulling the towel, or with any other suitable type of towel dispensing apparatus, is the provision of means automatically operable when the fresh toweling is almost exhausted, for more rapidly winding up the soiled toweling. 'Ihis operation is herein controlled by means responsive to decrease in the amount of clean toweling. The control means includes a part which engages the roll or web of clean toweling in such manner that, when the toweling is exhausted, or almost exhausted, a latching mechanism is tripped, resulting in increasing the speed of the take-up roll over that of the feed roll, to make the remaining toweling inaccessible.

Acceleration control of the take-up roll is accomplished herein by means of gear trains and a gear-shifting mechanism. Referring first to Figure 6, which is a plan section taken substantially on line 6-6 of Figure 2: The shafts 4Il-4I respectively of the feed and take-up rolls 23-24 are suitably journaled in the plates I5-I6 and each shaft extends outwardly beyond the plate I6. At the inner side of plate I6 are gears 42-43 respectively secured to the feed and take-up rolls. These gears are of the same size. To shaft 45 of the feed roll at the outside of and spaced from the plate I6 is fixed a second gear 45 which is of the same diameter as gear 42. Secured to the shaft 4I of the take-up roll at the outer side of and spaced from the plate I6 is a gear 46 which is smaller than any of the previously mentioned gears.

Each pair of gears 42-43 and 45--46 forms part of a gear train of which the third member is an idler gear. These idler gears 52-53 are adjustable with respect to their respective trains and both idlers are carried by a shift-plate 5I)` which is pivoted concentrically with the shaft of the take-up roll upon an extension 5I of the plate I6 of the swing-housing. The forward or outer portion of this plate overlies and is spaced from the shaft of the feed roll as best shown in Figure 1.

In order that the feed and take-up rolls may travel at the same speed, idler gear 52 normally occupies the position shown in Figures 1, 4 and 7. This gear is always in mesh with gear 43 of the take-up roll, but can be shifted from mesh with gear 42 of the feed roll. This idler gear 52 is arranged at the inner side of the shift-plate 50, and is mounted on a stub shaft 41 carried by said plate. This stub shaft (see Figure 3) passes through an arcuate slot 48 in plate I6 of the swing-frame, said slot being concentric with the rotative axis of the take-up roll. At the outer side of the shift-plate is idler gear 53 which constantly meshes with gear 46, but which is adapted, when the shift-plate is shifted, to move into or out of mesh with gear 45. The idler gears are so mounted that both cannot be in mesh at the same time. The alternate positions of the gear 52 are shown in Figures 4 and 5, and the alternate positions of the gear 53 are shown in Figures l and 2.

In order that the shift-plate 50 be so held that the idler 52 remains in mesh with gears 42-43, to operate the take-up roll at equal Speed with the feed roll, a latching mechanism for the shift-plate is provided. Referring to Figure 1, the lower edge 55 of the outer end of the shift-plate 5I) rests upon a shoulder 5G of a Weighted latch lever 51 pivoted at 58 at the outer side of plate i6 in the same plane with the gearshift plate. This lever is so weighted that the latch tends to move in counter-clockwise direction, or so as to have its latch end move toward the shift plate. A spring 59 attached to the stub shaft idler 52 holds the outer end of the shift plate against the shoulder 56, and acts to move the shift-plate to its position in Figure 2, after tripping.

The latch lever 51 is tripped and moves from its position in Figure l to that shown in Figure 2, when the supply of clean toweling is substantially exhausted, and in this embodiment, this tripping means has the following construction: .At the end of the feed roll shaft 40 and against the outer face of the outer gear 45 is xed a cam 50, see Figures 2 and 6. This cam operates in and against the sides of a slot 6I of a trip arm G2 pivoted as at 63 to an arm S4 adjustably lelamped vto "the projecting journaling :portion 65 of `a wire yoke, 4which is also journaled 2in :plate .125, by @portion .66. `The yoke 'Bl rests 'against the roll of clean toweling :as fshown :in .Figure 1. Referring to .Figure 6: This yoke includes the forwardly :arranged cent-ral portion l68` which Pis used .as .a ihand-rhold to be Wgrasped to swing the yswing-frame outwardly .to loading :and Aunloading position, :after `the `yoke has assumed the position .shown Iin .Figure I2, .as ra. result of exhaus- "tion .of the clean towel supply.

v'l'he :latch lever 15H is provided .at a point outwardly `from its pivot, ibeyond the :shoulder SE, with a lateral :projection 69 which normally lies below the tripping extension 10 fof lthe 'trip arm 62, see Figure .1, but in opposition to which lsaid extension l0 `is brought, as :shown uin .Figure 53, by lowering of thearm '62, fas a result of movement of the yoke Bl to the position of vFigure i2. :After l'll has freached fthe vpositionof Figure 3, and during continued rotationyof the feed Aroll thereafter, 'the cam moves from its position in Figure 3 Ato that shown in Figure 2 to cause the projection i'l'll to engage the projection 69 Iof the latch =51 and move it to the unlatching position fshown in Figure i2, thus releasing the gear fshift plate, which is then forced by spring 59 Ito bring gear-53 'into mesh with :gears 145 and 46, to l.drive the take-'up lroll at high speed, on subsequent motion `of the `feed Vroll fas the result `of .the `pull Ion the towel. Under these conditions, the take-up roll moves at about twice Iits usual rate of speed, and the loop is taken up to the positonfshown in Figure `2. It is, fof course, understood that idler gear 52 is moved out of mesh before idler `gear '53 is put in imesh.

In practice, the whole looplneed 'not be taken up kat the first operation of the machine after the yoke assumes the position lshown in Figure?,

40 but may be taken up gradually, but at a greater rate. In any event, it :is not for long that the loop is of suilicient sizeto 'be seen hanging below the cabinet, :nor .does it long remain v'conveniently accessible, after the mechanism isset for acelerating the rotative speed of the take-up roll.

In order that fthe yoke rEil rbe caused to positively follow up, and .move to the posi-tion of Figure .2,1as the clean towel supply dwindles, .a spring 15 is provided, and it is coiled :around the journal extension i615 and lhas one -end `acting ron the 4arm f64 rand the other `end :attached to the plate Hi, all in a manner to force the yoke 61 in clockwiseV direction. Of course, the yoke is moved to the position shown in Figure '1 against the tension yof the spring 1-5.

As the swing-housing is pulled out preparatory to `removal of the soiled towel roll, and introduction of :a clean towel roll 20, a pin "H carried by the gear shift-plate engages the 4'camming portion F8 `of resilient bracket -5 and moves the plate 5l) in counter-clockwise direction to bring it to the latched position shown in Figure 1, in which the shoulder 56 of the gravity latch 5l is engaged with the corresponding outer portion of the shift-plate. After removal of the soiled towel roll, the yoke 6l is then moved upwardly to the position shown in Figure 1, and the fresh toweling is introduced. During motion of the yoke from its lower position of Figure 2, to its upper .position of vFigure 1, .the strip arm 62 is raised and swung `to .assume the position `shown in .Figure 1 with thewtrip projection '1.0 disposed above the level `of the .lateral projection 69 `of .thelatch 5l.

Alltel' the :toweling llhas been pulled :around the :rolls "in 'the :manner indicated in :Figure 1 fand its end V'has #been wrapped on the soiled towel roll, the latch :arm 2G .is released and the swinghousing `is fs-wung into the .cabinet. 5

flilach time that the apparatus is operated by pulling down a length of toweling, the trip lever ".62 'is merely oscillated by the ncam, without performing a 'tripping function. Just :as soon as'the yoke 61 .fallsito 'the position shown in Figlo ure 2, the arm 6:2 :is lowered vto the position shown in Figure 3, and thereafter the arm is '.nroved by 'the .cain to the tripping .position shown in Figure .2,bringing the gear53 :into mesh with `the gears fli' and `:it to obtain amore rapid rotation i5 "of the take-up roll.

JAnother feature 'relates to ymeans for preventing rre-load, before the yoke 6l `is raised from its position in .Figure 2. The yoke, as herein shown, is

.made vof wire and and .upon each forward ex- 2o tension 78a there is formed 4a yU -shaped bend le. Each bend is .perpendicular to the portion 1B and projects upwardly, when the yoke is in the .position shown Yin Figure 2. rIhe distance between the top of 'these projections and the bottom of 25 the feed roll is less than the diameter 'of aroll of clean toweling, so that as long yas the yoke is positioned as shown in Figure `2, a roll -of fresh toweling 'cannot Ibe introduced. `When the yoke is in up position, 'these projections 19 extend 3o through slots '8B in the rear -wall of the swinghousing. If the clean towel roll were placed upon the top of the yoke, the `idler gear 53 would remain in mesh, as shown in Figure J2, and the take-:up roll would, Sfr-:om the beginning, be operated fat the accelerated, instead ofthe normal, speed.

We vclaim as our invention:

1. .An apparatus for dispensing toweling'includ- :ing a feed roll and a soiled .towel take-up rol-1, a .im variable speed change gear mechanism for operatingone `roll by the fothe'r in one instance to cause the take-up roll to vtake up soiled toweling 'at a rate equal to the feeding rate, and in :the secondfinstance to cause the soiled towel take-up 4;, roll tto take up nsoiled toweling at la rate substantially greater `thanthefeeding rate, and means automatically operable when the toweling supply is substantially exhausted :for operating the speed change mechanism V'to take-up :soiled toweling at 50 the greater rate, :said mechanism including two gear `trains with a gear `of each train movable into and aout vof mesh, one into vmesh when the other is moved out of mesh.

`2. An apparatus for dispensingV toweling in- 55 cluding a feed roll and a soiled towel take-up roll,

a first gear train "by which one roll vnormally drives the rother to take up soiled toweling .at .a rate substantially .equal to the -feeding rate, a second gear train for driving one roll by the Yother my to take up soiled toweling at a rate substantially greater than .the feeding rate, means by which one 'gear Yof Yeach train can be moved into and out of .rnesh, one into mesh when the other is moved -out of mesh, and means automatically (3,; operable when the yclean toweling supply is substantial-ly exhausted for-shifting the gears tol-operate the take-up roll at the greater speed rate.

An 4appa-.ratus for dispensing toweling including afeed roll and a soiled towel take-up roll, "q a first gear train by which `one roll is normally driven bythe other to take up soiled toweling at arate substantially equal to the feed rate, a second A.gear rtrainfor controlling one roll by the other totake `up .-soifledtow-elin'g :at a rate substantially 75 greater than the feeding rate, a shiftable element upon which one gear of each train is mounted to be moved into and out of mesh, one into mesh when the other is moved out of mesh, means for latching the element in a position to operate the rolls through the first train, and means operable when the clean toweling supply is substantially exhausted for tripping the latch to obtain operation of the rolls by the second train.

4. An apparatus for dispensing toweling including a casing and a housing therein which can be swung outwardly to facilitate removal and replenishment of the toweling, said housing having mounted thereon a feed roll and a soiled towel take-up roll, a variable speed change mechanism adapted to be set for operating one roll by the other in the first instance to take up soiled toweling at a rate equal to the feeding rate, and in the second instance to take up soiled toweling at a rate substantially greater than the feeding rate, means operable when the toweling supply is substantially exhausted for operating the speed change mechanism to obtain a substantially greater take-up operation, and means separate from the housing by which the change speed mechanism is set for operating the rolls as in the first instance, as a result of swinging the housing inwardly.

5. An apparatus for dispensing toweling including a casing and a housing therein which can be swung outwardly to facilitate removal and replenishment of the toweling, said housing having mounted thereon a feed roll and a soiled towel take-up roll, a gear train by which one roll normally drives the other to take up soiled toweling at a rate substantially equal to the feeding rate, a second gear train by which one roll controls the other to take up soiled toweling at a rate substantially greater than the feeding rate, means by which one gear of each train can be shifted into and out of mesh with its respective companion gears, one into mesh when the other is moved out of mesh, means operable when the toweling supply is substantially exhausted for operating said last mentioned means to cause the take-up roll to move at the greater speed rate, and means separate from the housing by which the gears are shifted to a position to obtain normal drive of the rolls, as the housing is swung inwardly.

6. An apparatus for dispensing toweling including a casing, and a housing therein which can be swung outwardly to facilitate removal and replenishment of the toweling, said housing having mounted thereon a feed roll, a take-up roll, a first roll-driving means by which the rolls are normally driven to take up soiled toweling at a rate substantially equal to the feeding rate, a second roll-driving means by which the rolls are driven to take up soiled toweling at a rate substantially greater than the feeding rate, means by which the roll-driving means can be alternately made operative including a movable element, means for latching the movable element in a position to obtain operation of the rolls by the first driving means, means automatically operable when the toweling supply is substantially exhausted for tripping the latching means to obtain operation of the rolls by the second driving means and means separate from the housing by which the movable element is latched as the frame is swung outwardly.

7. An apparatus for dispensing toweling including a feed roll and a take-up roll, means for operating the takeup roll by the feed roll respectively at equal and greater speeds than the feed k roll, including first and second gears respectively movable with the feed and take-up rolls, a support swingable on an axis corresponding to that of the take-up roll, a third gear movable with the feed roll, a fourth gear movable with the take-up roll and having a lesser number of teeth than any of the above mentioned gears, fifth and sixth gears on the swingable support constantly in mesh respectively with the second and fourth gears and adapted to be alternately moved into and out of mesh respectively with the first and third gears, and means operable when the toweling is substantially exhausted for causing the support to be shifted to put the sixth gear in mesh with the third.

8. An apparatus for dispensing toweling including a feed roll and a take-up roll, means for operating the takeup roll by the feed roll respectively at equal or greater speeds than the feed roll, including first and second gears respectively movable with the feed and take-up rolls, a support swingable on an axis corresponding to that of the take-up roll, a third gear movable with the feed roll, a fourth gear movable with the take-up roll having a lesser number of teeth than any of the above mentioned gears, fifth and sixth gears on the swingable support constantly in mesh respectively with the second and fourth gears and adapted to be alternately moved into and out of mesh respectively with the first and third gears, and means for causing the support to be shifted to put the sixth gear in mesh with the third.

9. An apparatus for dispensing toweling including a feed roll and a take-up roll, a speed change mechanism including gear trains, for operating the rolls one by the other in one instance to take up soiled toweling at a normal feeding rate, and in the second instance to operate the take-up roll to take up soiled toweling at a rate substantially greater than normal, including a shiftable gear, and means operable when the toweling supply is substantially exhausted for operating the shiftable gear to condition said speed change mechanism for obtaining take up of soiled toweling at the greater rate.

10. An apparatus for dispensing toweling including a feed roll and a takeup roll, a speed change mechanism including gear trains as the sole driving connection between the rolls, and arranged only at one end of the rolls for operating the rolls in one instance to take up soiled toweling at a normal feeding rate and in the second instance to take up soiled toweling at a feeding rate substantially greater than normal,

and including shift gears, and means operable when the toweling supply is substantially exhausted for operating the shift gears to condition said speed change mechanism for obtaining take up of soiled toweling at the greater rate.

11. In a toweling dispensing apparatus, a takeup roll and a feed roll, gear trains by which the feed roll operates the take-up roll as a result of a toweling dispensing operation, including gears shiftable to obtain accelerated take-up action of the take-up roll, and means for operating said shiftable gears to condition said gear trains for accelerated take up action upon a subsequent towel dispensing operation.

12. In a toweling dispensing apparatus a takeup roll and a feed roll, gear trains by which the feed roll operates the take-up roll as a result of a toweling dispensing operation, said toweling being disposed to form a loop which is visible to the user, said gear trains including gears shiftable to obtain accelerated take up action of the take-up roll to obliterate the loop, and means controlled by a towel dispensing operation when the towel supply is substantially exhausted for shifting said gears to condition said gear trains for accelerated take-up action and so that a subsequent dispensing operation results in accelerated action to obliterate the loop.

13. In a toweling dispensing apparatus a take- 10 up roll and a feed roll, gear trains by which the feed roll operates the take-up roll as a result of pulling of the toweling by the user, said gear 

